Adjustable anti-siphon connection



July 25, 1967 w. H. EDMoNDsoN 3,332,433

ADJUSTABLE ANTI-SIPHON CONNECTION Filed June l, 1964 WELDON H. EDMONDSON FIG. i WMV@ ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,332,433 ADJUSTABLE ANTI-SIPHON CGNNECTION Weldon H. Edmondson, Perrysville, Ohio, assignor to Mansfield Sanitary, Inc., Perrysville, Ghio, a corporation of Ohio Filed .lune 1, 1964, Ser. No. 371,306 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-215) The present invention relates generally to sanitation devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a connection for preventing the contamination of the water supply by a water closet. Specifically, the present invention relates to an anti-Siphon connection for the water supply line of a water closet which can be adjustably mounted in the tank of the closet.

Accidental reverse ow from a sanitary system into a water supply system is a cause of great concern to the public, and the various health authorities are continually urging eective legislation and building codes with an eye to the complete elimination of this problem. Generally, the sanitary and water supply systems can be isolated from each other by spacial separations. However, the construction of water closets does not always provide effective separation.

Particularly vulnerable to this undesirable reverse ow is the closet construction which accommodates the feed line upwardly from the bottom of the tank through the water reservoir therein to the standard ball cock valve. The primary danger of reverse flow is occasioned in this particular closet construction if the supply line should develop a leak beneath the water level in the tank. In such a situation reduction of the feed line pressure can result in a siphoning of the water from the tank into the supply line-i.e., the unacceptable reverse flow.

To alleviate the possibility of a reverse flow when the feed line develops a leak, the only known prior art construction dealing with this problem utilizes a covering pipe of fixed axial extent which surrounds a ow pipe. Both the covering and ow pipes are attached to the ball cock valve and extend downwardly to a point immediately above the bottom of the closet tank. A tail piece, which is sealed to and extends through the bottom of the tank, is provided with an axial supply bore therethrough. The lower end of this supply bore is adapted to be connected to a feed pipe in the water supply system, and the upper end of this supply bore is threaded to receive the lower end of the flow pipe.

The upper end of the tail piece also has an enlarged portion which is partially axially bored concentrically outwardly of the water supply bore and internally threaded to receive the lower end of the covering pipe. A plurality of axially oriented ports extend upwardly through the enlarged portion and communicate with the space between the ilow pipe and the covering pipe. These ports also extend downwardly past a nut which is threaded onto the lower end of the tail piece to clamp it to the tank.

As is readily apparent, such a construction requires exact axial dimensioning of the cover pipe and ilow pipe in order that they can precisely and simultaneously mate to seal both the water in the tank and the water of the supply source from the space between the cover and ow pipes. This required precision in axial dimension virtually eliminates adaptation of the device to any tank other than that having the vertical dimensions for which it was designed.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a standard anti-Siphon connection for the water supply to a closet tank which is readily adaptable to a tank of any vertical dimension.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an anti-Siphon connection, as above, which does not re- 3,332,433 Patented July 25, 1967 quire the simultaneous mating of concentric threaded portions and which is far less complicated than the prior art device so that it can be more economically manufactured and installed.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an anti-Siphon connection, as above, which has a continuous and uninterrupted protective sheath extending from the ball cock valve completely through the base of the closet tank.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an anti-siphon connection, as above, which can be mounted on a tank by a mounting sleeve selectively -positionable along the protective sheath and sealable thereto.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an anti-Siphon connection, as above, which will warn of a leak in either the protective sheath or the feed line by spilling water on the oor.

These and other objects which will become apparent from the following specification are accomplished by means hereinafter described and claimed.

One preferred and one alternative embodiment are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and described in detail without attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied; the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional View through the tank of a water closet showing the anti-siphon connection in elevation;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing an alterna-l tive form of mounting sleeve.

In general, an anti-Siphon connection according to the concept of the present invention comprises a protective sheath which extends from the ball cock valve downwardly through the Water and out the inlet port in the base of the tank. The feed line which is positioned generally concentrically inwardly of the sheath passes upwardly therethrough to the ball cock valve.

A lmounting sleeve, slidable axially of the exterior of the sheath, is selectively positionable therealong by a fastening means which sealingly attaches the mounting Sleeve to the sheath.

The mounting sleeve has a flange portion, which retains a sealing means, and an anchor nut, which is threadably carried on the mounting sleeve, tightenable in opposition to the liange whereby the anti-Siphon device is attached to the water closet tank.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the antisiphon connection is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and is shown mounted on the base 11 of the water closet tank 12. Specifically, the anti-Siphon connection 10 is attached through the inlet port 13 in the base 11 of tank 12.

The anti-Siphon connection 10 supports a ball cock Valve 14 which is actuated by the customary float arm 15. Silent iill lines 16 and 17 lead outwardly from the ball cock valve to the tank and bowl of the water closet, respectively. The ball cock valve 14 is Well known to the art and itself includes an anti-Siphon device to prevent reverse iiow through the fill lines 16 and 17 so long as the valve 14 is positioned above the water level 19 in the tank 12. The valve 14 constitutes no part of the present invention.

Attached to, as by a sweat joint 20, and extending downwardly from the ball cock valve 14 through the water in tank 12 and out the inlet port 13 is a preferably cylindrical sheath 21,

The sheath 21 surrounds a feed line 22 which is positioned interiorly of the sheath 21 so as to provide an annular air gap 23 at least the full axial extent that the sheath 21 is immersed in the water in tank 12.

For convenience of installation the feed line 22 extends axially below sheath 21 Where it is readily accessible for connection to the water supply line 24 by the compression fitting 25, as shown, or any other standard plumbing connection.

Slidable axially on the exterior of the sheath 21 is a mounting sleeve 26. The mounting sleeve 26 has a barrel portion 27, radially outwardly from which extends a. flange portion 28.

A seal means 29 surrounds the barrel 27 and is retained by the flange portion 28.

The specific seal means disclosed is in the form of a truncated cone having an axial bore 30 which engages the annular outer surface of the barrel 27. The seal 29 also has a base 31 which abuts the flange 28 to retain it in position against axially upward movement. The conical face 32 of the seal means 29 engages the base 11 of the tank 12 around the periphery of the inlet port 13 to prevent leaks therethrough when the connection is mounted on the tank.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the lower portion of the barrel 27 is threaded to receive an anchor nut 33. By tightening this anchor nut upwardly against the base 11 the retaining ange 28 compresses the seal means 29 against the upper side of the base, both to attach the connection 10 thereto and prevent leakage of water through the port 13.

With the mounting sleeve 26 thus mounted on the tank and the sheath 21 slidable axially therethrough, a fastening means is utilized to fix the sheath in any selected axial position with respect to the mounting sleeve. As pointed out above one of the primary considerations is the location of the ball cock valve 14 above the water level 19. Therefore, the sheath 21 will generally be aixed to the mounting sleeve 26 so that the ball cock 14 lies just above the water line 19. This permits a lower profile, more compact closet tank 12 compatible with the trends of modern design.

In the FIG. 2 embodiment the fastening means cornprises a compression nut 34 which is connectable thereto by threads on that portion of the barrel 27 upwardly of the flange 28. The uppermost end of the nut 34 has a radially inwardly directed neck 35, the upper portion of which slidably engages the yannular outer periphery of the sheath 21. The lower portion of the neck flares radially downwardly and outwardly of the sheath to form a throat 36. A radially upwardly and outwardly directed throat 38 on the upper end of the barrel 27 opposingly faces the throat 36.

An annular bushing 39 slidably engages the sheath 21 between throats 36 and 38 and is provided with conically tapered edges 40 and 41, respectively, matingly engaged by the throats 36 and 3S. When the sheath 21 is selectively positioned axially of the mounting sleeve 26 the anchor nut 33 is tightened and the flaring throats 36 and 38 force the mating tapered edges 40 and 41 tightly into contact with the outer wall of sheath 21. This not only fastens the sheath in selected axial position, but also provides a complete annular seal around the periphery of the sheath 21 to prevent leakage of water therepast. While the bushing 39 may be fabricated from any number of materials, a relatively malleable metal, such as brass, has been found to work quite well.

In the second embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, the upper portion of the barrel 27 is also radially upwardly and outwardly flared to form a circumferential pocket 42 around, and contiguous to, the sheath 21 which facilitates the laying of a bead of solder 43. This solder joint will also fasten the sheath in selected axial position and prevent leakage therepast.

An anti-Siphon connection constructed in accordance with the concept of the present invention can be installed quickly and eiciently on any size closet tank and the excess sheath 21 or feed line 22 can be readily removed by a standard plumbers pipe cutter. Furthermore, should a leak develop in either the feed line 22 or the sheath 21 the water escaping will trickle down through the gap 23 and onto the iioor to give visual warning. At the same time no reverse ow would be possible should such a leak develop.

It should thus be apparent that the subject anti-Siphon Connection accomplishes the objects of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-Siphon connection for the water supply feed line of a water closet tank in which the feed line enters the tank below the water level and connects to a ball cock valve above the water level comprising, a protective sheath, said sheath surrounding a feed line in radially spaced relation and extending from a ball cock valve to a point exteriorly of a tanks a mounting sleeve, said sleeve having a barrel slidably axially of said sheath, a flange extending radially outwardly of said barrel, a seal means positioned around said barrel adjacent to and on one side of said flange, an anchor nut threadably received on said barrel in opposition to said ange, a pocket in said barrel on the other side of said flange, said pocket being annularly contiguous to said sheath and adapted to receive a bead of solder.

2. In combination, a water closet tank and an antisiphon feed line connection to a ball cock valve positioned above the water line in said tank, said tank having a base with an inlet port therethrough, said anti-Siphon connection having a sheath connected to said ball cock valve and extending downwardly through the water in said tank and out through said inlet port, a feed line, said feed line extending axially through said sheath from exteriorly of said tank to said ball cock valve, a mounting sleeve, said mounting sleeve having a barrel slidable axially of said sheath, a flange extending radially outwardly of said barrel adjacent the upper side of the tank base interiorly of said tank, a seal means positioned around said sheath between said flange and said tank base, said barrel being threaded exteriorly of said tank beneath said tank base, an anchor nut received on said threaded portion, tightening of said anchor nut causing said flange to compress said seal means against the bore of the tank to seal the inlet port and mount the antisiphon connection to the tank, and an annular pocket in that portion of the barrel opposite the ange from said tank base which is contiguous with said sheath and adapted to receive a bead of solder.

'References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 616,808 12/1898 Ricketts 285-161 X 2,148,746 2/1939 Hampe et al 285-287 2,195,797 4/ 1940 Groeniger 137-444 X 2,250,517 7/1941 Zolleis 251-368 X 2,651,529 9/1953 Wayrnan 285-161 2,657,703 11/ 1953 Bletcher 137-215 2,824,756 2/ 1958 Wagner 285-287 X 2,827,073 3/ 1958 Owens 137-437 X 3,052,748 9/ 1962 Curtiss 285-161 X WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

DENNIS H. LAMBERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ANTI-SIPHON CONNECTION FOR THE WATER SUPPLY FEED LINE OF A WATER CLOSET TANK IN WHICH THE FEED LINE ENTERS THE TANK BELOW THE WATER LEVEL AND CONNECTS TO A BALL COCK VALVE ABOVE THE WATER LEVEL COMPRISING, A PROTECTIVE SHEATH, SAID SHEATH SURROUNDING A FEED LINE IN RADIALLY SPACED RELATION AND EXTENDING FROM A BALL COCK VALVE TO A POINT EXTERIORLY OF A TANK, A MOUNTING SLEEVE, SAID SLEEVE HAVING A BARREL SLIDABLY AXIALLY OF SAID SHEATH, A FLANGE EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID BARREL, A SEAL MEANS POSITIONED AROUND SAID BARREL ADJACENT TO AND ON ONE SIDE OF SAID FLANGE, AN ANCHOR NUT THREADABLY RECEIVED ON SAID BARREL IN OPPOSITION TO SAID FLANGE, A POCKET IN SAID BARREL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID FLANGE, SAID POCKET BEING ANNULARLY CONTIGUOUS TO SAID SHEATH AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A BEAD OF SOLDER. 